ONLY ON 3: Riel back in court, trial date set

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) -- For the second time this week the former North Brunswick High School band teacher accused of sexting a student was in court.

Mark Riel is charged with indecent liberties with a minor after allegedly sending an inappropriate text to a student in January.

Riel's attorney Robert Dillow told the judge the case would take several days and asked to reschedule the trial date. The prosecution says it has 12 witnesses.

WWAY's Marissa Jasek tried to speak with Riel before and after he was in the courtroom, but Dillow threatened to have her arrested for assault as she asked Riel two questions on his way out of the Brunswick County Courthouse.

Riel had been a band teacher at North Brunswick since 2005. He resigned soon after his arrest.

Riel's trial is scheduled for December 12.

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It is important to remember that this man had a wife and 2 children who are all innocent in this mess. They have had to pay dearly for his actions. Please keep that in mind when reporting/posting comments.

everyone needs to realize this affectss more than mr.riel. i have a friend who is going to be 19 in a few days who is going to be put on a stand and have her family see and hear things that were said that will embarrass her and them. we all make mistakes but in an effort to place blame sometimes we forget about the other people involved. my friend who wants to have a normal life will now be known as "that girl". people tend to look over mistakes children make but this is a adult people are cruel and judgmental and i along with the few others who know who she is have tried to protect her from that. i just want it all to go away! nbhs has not been the same since this happened..

Another day where there was supposed to be a trial has come and gone. Nothing on wway or anywhere else about what happened at the trial.

As far as the kid that was involved: It's just that... she's a kid, and there's laws in place that are supposed to prevent kids in school from being put in the very bad position that you describe. It keeps happening, though. Brunswick schools have had a number of incidents over the years due to inappropriate involvement with students ranging from bus drivers to teachers.

I have to assume that you are another kid at NBHS. There is ZERO justification for him having put everyone in the precarious position that now exists. As you probably know, there's a bunch of rumors as to what he actually did that resulted in this mess. In the end, it's all about Mark Riel..... Same as it always has been!

Sounds like "Taxpayer" may not be an attorney. The term, "assault", has a very broad legal definition which includes instilling fear in the person assaulted (an actual strike is not required). Yesterday, the same reporter who tried to accost Mr. Riel on Monday almost struck Mr. Dillow in the face with her microphone -- which would have given rise to an assault charge by Mr. Dillow (he had to actually step backward in order to avoid being hit) -- and as a result of the reporter's aggressive actions, Mr. Riel almost fell down the stairs. If the news media would simply be patient and allow the legal process to take its course, or barring that, if the news media would approach politely, then it might find the parties to be much more willing to give an interview. However, the papparazziesque manner in which the media is conducting itself is reckless and unprofessional. The media is also reporting the case incorrectly. For example, Mr. Riel has been charged not with "indecent liberties with a minor", as stated on the news last night, but rather with "indecent liberties with a student", which is a much lighter crime carrying no possible jail sentence. Both the media and the "commenters" should do their homework before posting libelous comments regarding professionals on the web.

This article is wrong! If you listed to the video clip that WWAY played on air, the lawyer threatens to have her arrested...period. He never said assault. So where did the "assault" come from. Sounds like the reporter who wrote this article fluffed it a bit for dramatic purposes. So like WWAY to do that.

Then why didn't you play the entire clip? Give audible proof to your story. Otherwise people have a hard time believing what WWAY puts in print. But I can't blame the attorney. Your station has a way of adding guilt or drama from your perspective, which is delusional. WWAY = TMZ.